2. Phase Description
Systems analysis is the second of five phases in the
systems development life cycle (SDLC)
Uses requirements modeling and data and process
modeling to represent the new system
Before proceeding to the next phase, systems
design, you will consider system development
strategies
2
3. Chapter Objectives
Describe systems analysis phase activities and the
end product of the systems analysis phase
Explain joint application development (JAD) and
rapid application development (RAD)
Understand how systems analysts use a functional
decomposition diagram (FDD)
Describe the Unified Modeling Language (UML)
and explain use case diagrams and sequence
diagrams
3
4. Chapter Objectives
List and describe system requirements, including
outputs, inputs, processes, performance, and
controls
Explain the importance of scalability in system
design
Use fact-finding techniques, including interviews,
documentation review, observation,
questionnaires, sampling, and research
4
5. Chapter Objectives
Define total cost of ownership (TCO) and explain
the concept
Conduct a successful interview
Develop effective documentation methods to use
during systems development
5
6. Introduction
This chapter describes requirements modeling
techniques and team-based methods that systems
analysts use to visualize and document new
systems
The chapter then discusses system requirements
and fact-finding techniques, which include
interviewing, documentation review, observation,
surveys and questionnaires, sampling, and
research
6
7. Systems Analysis Phase
Overview
The overall objective is to understand the
proposed project, ensure that it will support
business requirements, and build a solid
foundation for system development
You use a models and other documentation tools
to visualize and describe the proposed system
7
9. Systems Analysis Phase
Overview
Systems Analysis
Activities
– Data and process
modeling
– Development Strategies
• System requirements
document
9
10. Systems Analysis Phase
Overview
Systems Analysis Skills
– Analytical skills
– Interpersonal skills
Team-Oriented Methods and Techniques
– Joint application development (JAD)
– Rapid application development (RAD)
10
11. Joint Application Development
User Involvement
– Users have a vital stake in an information system
and they should participate fully
– Successful systems must be user-oriented and
users need to be involved
– One popular strategy for user involvement is a
JAD team approach
11
12. Joint Application Development
JAD Participants and Roles
– JAD participants should be insulated from the
distraction of day-to-day operations
– Objective is to analyze the existing system, obtain
user input and expectations, and document user
requirements for the new system
12
13. Joint Application Development
JAD Advantages and Disadvantages
– Advantages
• Allows key users to participate effectively
• When properly used, JAD can result in a more accurate
statement of system requirements, a better
understanding of common goals, and a stronger
commitment to the success of the new system
– Disadvantages
• More expensive and can be cumbersome if the group is
too large relative to the size of the project
13
14. Rapid Application Development
Is a team-based technique that speeds up
information systems development and produces a
functioning information system
Relies heavily on prototyping and user
involvement
Process continues until the system is completely
developed and users are satisfied
14
16. Rapid Application Development
RAD Objectives
– To cut development time and expense by involving
the users in every phase of systems development
– Successful RAD team must have IT resources,
skills, and management support
– Helps a development team design a system that
requires a highly interactive or complex user
interface
16
17. Rapid Application Development
RAD Advantages and Disadvantages
– Advantages
• Systems can be developed more quickly with significant
cost savings
– Disadvantages
• RAD stresses the mechanics of the system itself and
does not emphasize the company’s strategic business
needs
• Might allow less time to develop quality, consistency,
and design standards
17
18. Modeling Tools and Techniques
CASE Tools
Functional
Decomposition
Diagrams
– Also called
structure charts
18
20. Modeling Tools and Techniques
Unified Modeling Language
– Widely used method of visualizing and
documenting software systems design
– Use case diagrams
• Actor
– Sequence diagrams
20
21. System Requirements Checklist
System requirement
Five general categories
– Outputs
– Inputs
– Processes
– Performance
– Controls
21
22. System Requirements Checklist
Outputs
– The Web site must report online volume statistics
every four hours, and hourly during peak periods
– The inventory system must produce a daily report
showing the part number, description, quantity on
hand, quantity allocated, quantity available, and
unit cost of all sorted by part number
22
23. System Requirements Checklist
Inputs
– Manufacturing employees must swipe their ID
cards into online data collection terminals that
record labor costs and calculate production
efficiency
– The department head must enter overtime hours on
a separate screen
23
24. System Requirements Checklist
Processes
– The student records system must calculate the
GPA at the end of each semester
– As the final step in year-end processing, the
payroll system must update employee salaries,
bonuses, and benefits and produce tax data
required by the IRS
24
25. System Requirements Checklist
Performance
– The system must support 25 users online
simultaneously
– Response time must not exceed four seconds
25
26. System Requirements Checklist
Controls
– The system must provide log-on security at the
operating system level and at the application level
– An employee record must be added, changed, or
deleted only by a member of the human resources
department
26
27. Future Growth, Costs, and
Benefits
Scalability
– A scalable system offers a better return on the
initial investment
– To evaluate, you need information about projected
future volume for all outputs, inputs, and processes
27
28. Future Growth, Costs, and
Benefits
Total Cost of Ownership
– Total cost of ownership (TCO) is especially
important if the development team is evaluating
several alternatives
– One problem is that cost estimates tend to
understate indirect costs
– Rapid Economic Justification (REJ)
28
29. Fact-Finding
Fact-Finding Overview
– The first step is to identify the information you
need
– Develop a fact-finding plan
Who, What, Where, When, How, and Why?
– Difference between asking what is being done and
what could or should be done
29
30. Fact-Finding
The Zachman Framework
– Zachman Framework for Enterprise Architecture
– Helps managers and users understand the model
and assures that overall business goals translate
into successful IT projects
30
31. Interviews
Systems analysts spend a
great deal of time talking
with people
Much of that time is
spent conducting
interviews
31
32. Interview
Step 1: Determine the People to Interview
– Informal structures
Step 2: Establish Objectives for the Interview
– Determine the general areas to be discussed
– List the facts you want to gather
32
33. Interviews
Step 3: Develop Interview Questions
– Creating a standard list of interview questions
helps to keep you on track and avoid unnecessary
tangents
– Avoid leading questions
– Open-ended questions
– Closed-ended questions
– Range-of-response questions
33
34. Interviews
Step 4: Prepare for the Interview
– Careful preparation is essential because interview
is an important meeting and not just a casual chat
– Limit the interview to no more than one hour
– Send a list of topics
– Ask the interviewee to have samples available
34
35. Interviews
Step 5: Conduct the Interview
– Develop a specific plan for the meeting
– Begin by introducing yourself, describing the
project, and explaining interview objectives
– Use engaged listening
– Allow the person enough time to think about the
question
– After interview, summarize the session and seek a
confirmation
35
36. Interviews
Step 6: Document the Interview
– Note taking should be kept to a minimum
– After the interview, record the information quickly
– After the interview, send memo expressing
appreciation, including the main points discussed
so the interviewee has a written summary and can
offer additions or corrections
36
37. Interviews
Step 7: Evaluate the Interview
– In addition to recording the facts obtained in an
interview, try to identify any possible biases
Unsuccessful Interviews
– No matter how well you prepare for interviews,
some are not successful
37
38. Other Fact-Finding Techniques
Document Review
Observation
– Seeing the system in action gives
you additional perspective and a
better understanding of the system
procedures
– Plan your observations in advance
– Hawthorne Effect
38
39. Other Fact-Finding Techniques
Questionnaires and Surveys
– When designing a questionnaire, the most
important rule of all is to make sure that your
questions collect the right data in a form that you
can use to further your fact-finding
– Fill-in form
39
40. Other Fact-Finding Techniques
Sampling
– Systematic sample
– Stratified sample
– Random sample
– Main objective of a sample is to ensure that it
represents the overall population accurately
40
41. Other Fact-Finding Techniques
Research
– Can include the Internet, IT magazines, and books
to obtain background information, technical
material, and news about industry trends and
developments
– Site visit
41
42. Other Fact-Finding Techniques
Interviews versus Questionnaires
– Interview is more familiar and personal
– Questionnaire gives many people the opportunity
to provide input and suggestions
– Brainstorming
– Structured brainstorming
– Unstructured brainstorming
42
43. Documentation
The Need for Recording the Facts
– Record information as soon as you obtain it
– Use the simplest recording method
– Record your findings in such a way that they can
be understood by someone else
– Organize your documentation so related material is
located easily
43
45. Documentation
Software Tools
– Graphics modeling software
– Personal information managers
• Personal information manager (PIM)
• Handheld computers
• Personal digital assistants (PDAs)
– Wireless communication devices
45
46. Preview of Data and Process
Modeling
At the conclusion of requirements modeling,
systems developers should have clear
understanding of business processes and system
requirements
The next step is to model the logical design of the
system
46
47. Chapter Summary
The systems analysis phase includes three
activities: requirements modeling, data and
process modeling, and consideration of
development strategies
The main objective is to understand the proposed
project, ensure that it will support business
requirements, and build a solid foundation for the
systems design phase
47
48. Chapter Summary
The fact-finding process includes interviewing,
document review, observation, questionnaires,
sampling, and research
Systems analysts should carefully record and
document factual information as it is collected,
and various software tools can help an analyst
visualize and describe an information system
Chapter 3 complete
48